Classical Notes: A new chapter for Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, master classes in Albany and Saratoga

When Nathan Madsen began programming his first season as the music director of the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, which starts this afternoon, he turned to Google.

Sure, the conductor already had plenty of reference books and a good library for information on the classics like Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven, all of whom will be represented in upcoming concerts. But Madsen wanted to uncover more of the WCO’s history of premiering new works.

He was pleased yet also a bit overwhelmed when on-line search for “commissioned by the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra” resulted in a treasure trove of works by composers, living and dead. Four of those pieces will be revived during the four-concert season that runs through next June.

“The first priority is to get back to the orchestra’s history,” says Madsen. “For an orchestra our size and with our limited financial resources, we’ve commissioned dozens of works over the 33-year history. Lots of the composers went on to have impressive careers.”

Along with Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Ravel’s “Mother Goose” Suite, today’s concert features Kyle Gann’s “The Disappearance of All Holy Things from this Once So Promising World.” Better known as the long-time critic for the Village Voice and a contributor to ArtsBlog, Gann is also an accomplished composer and a faculty member at Bard College. He wrote “Disappearance” for Woodstock in 1998. It was his first orchestral work.

“Kyle is a composer who wants people to slow down and chill out for a minute and experience music as stepping outside of time and their lives,” explains Madsen. “His piece is not about making some big point, or taking some journey.”

Madsen is making recent works a central component of his new tenure. When he and other conductors were being considered for the post of music director last year, each was required to lead a concert that included something by Mozart and something written after World War II. Madsen chose a work by the American composer Pierre Jalbert.

“After our concerts most of the audience goes to one of two restaurants. When I went in, people said they really loved the new piece, that was interesting and cool,” recalls Madsen. “The board is being very supportive. But you have to be careful that something is not written in a style that’s too prickly or thorny.”

According to Madsen, the WCO is an all-professional orchestra, in that “every person on the stage is paid to be there. They’re all contracted and compensated though it started as a community orchestra. Having said that, the orchestra has room to grow.”

Joining Madsen in building a new chapter of the orchestra’s history is a new executive director, Maria Todaro. A full-time resident of Ulster County, Todaro is herself a mezzo-soprano and composer. A few years ago she founded the successful Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice.

Speaking of the WCO’s 33-year history, Madsen is also 33 years old. His full-time job is as the assistant conductor of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Local ties include past teaching posts at RPI and Bard and with the Empire State Youth Orchestra.

“As a young conductor, you spend so much of your life assisting other conductors,” says Madsen. “You watch a lot and that’s crucial. But you also sit and say ‘if I had my own orchestra…’ Now I have to do it.”

Today’s concert starts at 3 p.m. at the Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road in Woodstock. Tickets are $5-$20 and available at the door. For more information call (845) 679-6431 or visit: http://www.wco-online.com.

ASSADS IN TROY & ALBANY

Head to the Troy Music Hall on Wednesday evening to hear the acclaimed guitar duo of Sergio and Odair Assad. Their program ranges from early music to early 20th century, with an emphasis on Latin composers. Latin music comes with the territory when it comes to guitar. The concert starts at 7:30 and tickets are $30-$35. Call 273-0038

The Troy Chromatics have prevailed on the Assads for some teaching duties that same day. On Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. they’ll give a master class at the Massry Center at the College of St. Rose. Admission is free.

STONER IN SARATOGA

A master class and concert is also in store this week at Skidmore College. The guest artist is soprano Sylvia Stoner, who’s no stranger to the Saratoga campus.

Stoner began undergraduate studies there on a scholarship in 1990, working with senior voice teacher Anne Zwick Turner. In the ensuing years, Stoner has had a fine career in both opera and recital, as well as playing the young singer in a national tour of Terrance McNally’s “Master Class.” The master in that class, of course, was the legendary Maria Callas. Considering that she’s back at her alma mater, Stoner probably won’t be scaring the wits out of audiences and students the way Callas did during that play. But it could still be fun to watch and listen.

The master class is at 5:10 p.m. Thursday and the recital is at 8 p.m. Friday. Both events are at the Zankel Music Center and are free and open to the public.

Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer in Troy and can be reached at Dalton@HudsonSounds.org.